Protecting Your Parent-Child Relationship

At Arnold & Bailey, our lawyers know that for many parents going through a divorce, it can be difficult to come to an understanding when dividing the home, cars and other assets. However, these contentious issues often pale in comparison to the emotional aspects of child custody and child support issues.

Your Greatest Asset During Child Custody And Support Issues

As experienced family law attorneys, we understand the delicate nature of altering a parent-child relationship during divorce. That is why we look to defend your right to spend time with your child.

We make a strong case for our client’s interests when determining the amount of support that will be paid or received. Ultimately, we strive to reach a resolution that protects the emotional and physical well-being of the child.

Depending on the circumstances of your separation, we can help you and the other parent of your child (and his or her representation) reach an agreement for sharing custody and parenting responsibilities. However, if you are unable to come to an agreeable solution, the courts will determine a parenting plan.

Two of the primary issues a parenting plan will address include:

Physical custody of the child: In many cases, one parent will have primary physical custody of the child. This means that the child will primarily live with this parent. The other parent will have a visitation (or custodial) schedule and will provide child support payments to the other parent. If the parents cannot reach an agreement, the court will determine the custodial rights of each parent based on numerous factors. We understand what factors the courts consider, and we use this knowledge to prepare to advocate for you.

Legal custody: Most court-ordered and negotiated parenting plans allow for joint legal custody. This means that both parents share the rights and responsibilities of making important decisions for their child. These may include religious upbringing, visitation from grandparents and other relatives, education and medical care.

Whether you and the parent of your child can reach a satisfactory parenting plan, or you require litigation to resolve the custody dispute, we will aggressively protect your parental rights and the best interests of your child. We will explain the criteria the courts use to determine custody and support, the restrictions and limits of relocation and any other factors that pertain to you and your family.

Blending Compassionate Counsel With Strong Representation

Our team at Arnold & Bailey offers professional family law representation to clients in Jefferson County and throughout the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Located in Charles Town, we work with clients who live and work throughout the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore metro areas.